


An Excellent Start

by helsinkibaby



Category: seaQuest
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: 1-million-words, F/M, Het, Romance, Shore Leave, vacation fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 11:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13809903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: On his first night of shore leave, Jonathan goes to a bar.





	An Excellent Start

**Author's Note:**

> For February bingo, prompt "vacation fic"

Even at this relatively early hour of the evening, the bar was already starting to fill when Jonathan walked in. A quick scan of the room revealed none of his seaQuest crewmates and he breathed a sigh of relief - much as he enjoyed their company, the whole point of a weekend's shore leave was for them all to get a break from one another before returning to their duties and the close quarters of the UEO's flagship submarine. 

Making his way towards the bar, he ordered himself a beer, but when he went to pay, the bartender waved him off with a knowing smirk. "Compliments of the lady at the end of the bar," he said, inclining his head, and with the feeling he knew what he was going to see, Jonathan turned his head to look. 

He wasn't disappointed. 

In more ways than one. 

Because sitting at the end of the bar, lips curled up in a smile, was the one person from seaQuest that he wouldn't mind seeing this weekend, the one person that he actually wanted to see. Katie's smile widened as Jonathan made his way towards her and he didn't take his eyes off her as he moved, cataloging the differences between the way she looked now and the way she'd looked a few hours ago when Bridger had formally dismissed them. 

For a start, the uniform was long gone, replaced by a dress that skimmed the curves of Katie's body, coming to rest just above her knee. Her hair was loose, curled into gentle ringlets that made his fingers itch to touch them, while whatever she'd done with her make up made her eyes even more striking than they usually were. That she'd made an effort was evident; knowing that she'd made an effort for him, specifically to knock him on his ass, made his head spin before he'd even taken a sip of alcohol. 

He credited years of UEO training with his ability to keep his face straight and his voice steady as he said, "Of all the gin joints in all the world..." 

The quip had the desired effect of making Katie laugh, even as she lifted one eyebrow. "I was here first," she pointed out. "Shouldn't that be my line?" 

Inclining his head, he conceded the point, not being inclined to argue with her. Not when there were so many other things to talk about. Or not, as the case might have been. Gesturing to the chair beside hers, he asked, “Is this seat taken?” and her smile widened slowly as her fingers played with the stem of her wine glass. 

“I’m waiting for someone,” she told him and from the look in her eyes, he knew she was talking about him. Which he’d expected but it was still a rush to hear the words fall from her lips. 

Because for the last number of months, they’d been colleagues and friends, second and third in command of the seaQuest and there had been no question of moments like this. Nor had there been any talk of meeting up when they were on shore leave but they had been to this bar together before, more than once, and Jonathan would be lying if he said that the resulting memories hadn’t got him through many a long night on seaQuest. So he’d come here again, hoping she’d have the same idea, but with no real expectation that she would. 

He’d rarely been so happy to be wrong. 

“Then I’m sorry I’m late,” he said, sitting down beside her and sliding an arm around the back of her chair. His fingers touched her back as he did so, accidentally on purpose, and he was surprised to feel soft skin against his, dropped his eyes to the back of her dress and the low cut back there. Goosebumps rose on her flesh, either from his touch or his stare, he couldn’t tell, but he resolved to do some further investigation later on. 

“It’s ok,” she told him and while she sounded hesitant, when he looked into her eyes, they were firm, steady. “You’re worth waiting for.” 

Jonathan didn’t think twice, laid his hand over hers, squeezed tightly. “So are you.” 

So far, shore leave was off to an excellent start.


End file.
